Program Overview

Master of Music in Composition (MMUS)

The Master of Music (M.Mus.) degree in composition is offered to students who have achieved necessary levels of attainment and productivity at the undergraduate level, and who give reasonable promise of further significant accomplishment. This degree is often a final academic step for the musician who wishes to enter the professional world, although it may prove an intermediate step for those wishing to prepare for doctoral training. Students in composition present a program of original works. A two-year residency is the norm.

Overview

• The Master of Music in Composition (MMUS) is a graduate degree program that focuses on the development of students' composition skills.
• The program is designed for students who have achieved a high level of attainment and productivity in composition at the undergraduate level.
• The degree is often a final academic step for musicians who wish to enter the professional world, but it may also serve as an intermediate step for those preparing for doctoral training.

What makes the program unique?

• Graduate student composers have opportunities to hear their works performed in regularly scheduled concerts and degree recitals.
• The UBC Symphony performs or reads students' orchestra pieces from time to time, and the choirs are active in presenting student works.

Quick Facts

• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Academic Unit: School of Music
• Specialization: Composition
• Mode of delivery: In person at UBC Vancouver
• Program Components: Coursework + Thesis required
• Tuition (First Year):
  • Domestic: $5,626.02
  • International: $9,883.98

Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

• Minimum Academic Requirements: The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC).
• English Language Test: Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application.
  • TOEFL:
    • Overall score requirement: 90
    • Reading: 22
    • Writing: 21
    • Speaking: 21
    • Listening: 22
  • IELTS:
    • Overall score requirement: 6.5
    • Reading: 6.0
    • Writing: 6.0
    • Speaking: 6.0
    • Listening: 6.0

Prior degree, course and other requirements

• Prior Degree Requirements: B.Mus. degree in composition, or acceptable equivalent
• Course Requirements: BMus degree in composition, or acceptable equivalent
• Document Requirements: A Composition portfolio is required, including PDF scores of at least four (4) works of varied media and corresponding audio and/or video of these four (4) works.

2) Meet Deadlines

• Program Name: Master of Music in Composition (MMUS)
• Intake: September 2026
• Canadian Applicant Deadline: 1 December 2025
• International Applicant Deadline: 1 December 2025

3) Prepare Application

• Transcripts: All applicants must submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study.
• Letters of reference: Applicants must submit 3 references to apply to this graduate program.
• Statement of Interest: Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.
• Supervision: Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor.

Research Information

Research Highlights

• UBC's Composition faculty has a long tradition of producing many highly successful, award-winning composers.
• The UBC Composition Division offers a program of exceptional quality to students wishing to pursue a career in music composition.

Program Components

• The Master's thesis is defined as live performances of original works composed during graduate study.
• The student is expected to have written and performed approximately an hour of music for various media.

Facilities

• The School of Music has world-class performing venues, including the Chan Centre for Performing Arts and the Old Auditorium.
• The School houses a state-of-the-art Computer Music studio for students interested in creating works that involve sound synthesis, digital audio editing, or interactive computer music.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

• Fees:
  • Application Fee: $118.50 (Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat), $168.25 (International)
  • Tuition:
    • Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat: $5,626.02 per year
    • International: $9,883.98 per year
• Other Fees and Costs:
  • Student Fees (yearly): $1,144.10 (approx.)
  • Costs of living: Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.

Financial Support

• Program Funding Packages: Students admitted to the School of Music’s graduate programs are automatically considered for scholarships under the GSI (Graduate Support Initiative) program.
• Scholarships & awards: All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education.
• Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA): Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision.
• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA): Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students.
• Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA): Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

ENROLMENT DATA

• Applications: 26 (2023), 16 (2022), 15 (2021), 24 (2020), 18 (2019)
• Offers: 5 (2023), 4 (2022), 5 (2021), 4 (2020), 4 (2019)
• New Enrolment: 2 (2023), 2 (2022), 5 (2021), 3 (2020), 3 (2019)
• Total Enrolment: 5 (2023), 7 (2022), 8 (2021), 7 (2020), 5 (2019)

Completion Rates & Times

• This program has a graduation rate of 100% based on 13 students admitted between 2015 - 2018.
• Based on 11 graduations between 2020 - 2023, the minimum time to completion is 1.36 years and the maximum time is 2.27 years with an average of 1.72 years of study.

Research Supervisors

• Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor.
• Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with.

Related Programs

• Same specialization:
  • Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition (DMA)
• Same Academic Unit:
  • Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition (DMA)
  • Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Instrument (DMA)
  • Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano (DMA)
  • Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice (DMA)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Ethnomusicology (PhD)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Musicology (PhD)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Music, Emphasis Theory (PhD)
  • Master of Arts in Music, Emphasis Ethnomusicology (MA)
  • Master of Arts in Music, Emphasis Musicology (MA)
  • Master of Arts in Music, Emphasis Theory (MA)
  • Master of Music in Conducting (Emphasis Choral Conducting) (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Conducting (Emphasis Orchestral Conducting) (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Conducting (Emphasis Wind Conducting) (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Guitar (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Harpsichord (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Historical Performance Practice (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Opera (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Orchestral Instrument (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Organ (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Piano (MMUS)
  • Master of Music in Voice (MMUS)

Further Information

• Specialization: Composition
• The division sponsors numerous composition events, including regularly scheduled Student Composer Concerts, seminars, workshops, and collaborations with local professional ensembles.
• Program Website:
• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Academic Unit: School of Music
• Program Identifier: VGMMMU-FA
• Classification: Humanities and the arts » Arts (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music), architecture and design » Music » Music composition